Sunday, November 15, 2015

With All My Love

By the time you read this most likely you'll be in Brazil. So consider this your first international piece of mail ;-) We're hoping we get to speak with you in the morning! If not, travel safely!

For some reason, serving in Brazil seems a whole lot different than Tempe, Arizona! Perhaps it's because this was your original call, but my heart has been tender all week knowing you're leaving the United States of America. I love this counsel by President Eyring:

"The more faithful priesthood service you give, the more the Lord asks of you...That testing of our limits in priesthood service is made necessary by God’s plan to qualify His children to live with Him again forever...When we give our all in priesthood service, the Lord will give us all the courage we need and the assurance that He goes with us and that angels will bear us up." O Ye That Embark
I know that a mother's sacrifice of having her child leave for two years is small, but it's one part of my efforts to serve the Lord, and the reason I have no fear. Know of our love for you always.

Football for Porter officially ended Monday after school when he turned in all his equipment. By Tuesday he was practicing with the basketball teams, and by Saturday he was on varsity and playing in his first scrimmage. Good for him. They love him over at that school. His fan base of girls is large, the admiration of teachers is plenty, and his demand by coaches is legendary. Of course, having a boost to their academic GPA stats are just a positive. His first game is this Tuesday, home. By the way, he's at 193 lbs.

Sawyer successfully finished his fall baseball season, coming in second. Of course there were only two teams ;-) He pitched most of yesterday's first game, and finished the second game, striking out the last two batters with a knuckle ball. "Holy cow, that kid can throw a knuckle!" came from the ump behind the plate. The one in the field, "Jeesh." He has basketball try-outs Tuesday evening.

Miller finished up Friday evening, ending with a three-way tie for fifth place overall, and that night's loss by one point kicking them out of the end of the season tournament. He has basketball try-outs tomorrow evening, and is very excited!

Cooper has his last meet this Thursday, a very late rescheduled rain postponement. He's decided he won't be playing soccer, but will just wait for tennis in the spring. Today, he came to me with his usual comment. "Mom, I want to make something." First, I have to determine if it's edible or not (not). Then if he wants to be crafty or not (not). Then real or not (real). So his project today was a boat, made out of those old blue foam gymnastic pads. His seminary teacher commented on how much she enjoys Cooper in class. He participates, he's awake, but his hands are always busy. One day he built an airplane, out of 3x5 cards, that had a two foot wing span! He then took it into the church gym and flew it, and it went across the whole room. He's so engineering!

Breyer has figured out how to take her own showers. She can pull off most of her clothes without assistance, knows how to turn on the water, and adjust the temperature. We just have to figure out how to get her out. Tonight she was singing "Everything is Awesome" under the faucet. She still wants a dog, but told me she might like a medium dog if no one else in the family wanted a small dog.

Your father was goofing around on BYU's Relative Finder website, and was informed, and he shares for your pleasure, that he is Elvis Aaron Presley's 7th cousin.

In the news this week? "Before baseball became the national pastime, cricket used to be America's favorite sport. One ambitious executive thinks it will again — and he's backing a multi-city, all-star tour to make it happen." We'll see.

I'm sure you've heard snippets, but a coordinated terrorist attack hit Paris Friday night, killing more than 130 people, injuring hundreds more — and sending shock waves of grief, fear and anger across France. The attacks struck multiple sites across the city simultaneously — explosions outside the national stadium, a hostage situation in a crowded concert hall, a barrage of gunfire at multiple cafes and restaurants. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, The French are not alone in their grief: around the world, cities and individuals expressed their sympathy and solidarity. Many cities are flying the colors of the France flag, and lighting their buildings in symbolic red, white and blue. Australia, Serbia, Korea, even China have joined in solidarity against these attacks, truly a blessing to emerge from such evil. Today France retaliated with Islamic air strikes.

Of course I should mention the zebra that got loose from the zoo, running through the streets of Philadelphia as well. News should also make us smile.

Just wanted you to know your former golf teammate Shane Stevens' mother passed away Friday. She was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer this summer.

How about the weather? I checked tonight and the forecast: Tornadoes, flooding and blizzard conditions. Doesn't get any more exciting than that! I checked your weather forecast, Monday and Tuesday low 80's, with thunderstorms and rain. Your grandparents reach 27 degrees Tuesday morning, first freeze of the fall for them!

I went to a baptism on Saturday, and played the piano. It's such an easy way to serve. They've stopped asking me, and just assume I'll show up. I've been put in charge of the Christmas program in conjunction with this year's ward Christmas dinner, The Jingle Mingle. Your brothers are so excited to help me with the nativity (not). We're having three wisemen hand out gifts to the children in conclusion.

That's the conclusion of your letter. Your pictures just came in, and now I'm in panic mode, thinking you are having computer time early.

1 comment:

This is a really sweet letter, thank you for sharing!II'm so excited to hear he's headed to Brazil--he must be thrilled. I will tell you though, the week McKay left the MTC and went to Korea was the hardest week of his mission FOR ME!Once I heard from him, and knew he was happy I was fine. But there was something so final about his flying across the world. OUCH! But it's been so so good.And your President Eyring quote, THANK YOU for sharing that. Loved it!xo

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